I'll Be Waiting
by Aveline Archer
Summary: *ONE SHOT for ArrowMeHawkeye* Will's girlfriend waits for him to return home from his deployment overseas. Will his return be exactly like her dreams?


**Hurt Locker One-shot – I don't own the rights to anything but the OC's. This is fiction and written especially for Therese.**

**I'll Be Waiting.**

William's embrace still warmed my flesh, his heated breath teasing my senses with whispers of love and protection. His unique scent of sweat, dirt and stale cigarettes had all but faded from the bed sheets, and couldn't keep me company during his long deployments with the US forces in Iraq. My mascara caked lashes fluttered open to the haunting illuminated screen of my laptop; as usual it was bare, inspiration never quite reaching my fingertips lingering above the keys.

A long sigh parted my lips, my blue eyes shifting to the bedroom doorway where I envisioned William, leaning against the wooden frame wearing his light green camouflage uniform and smirk, while holding a bunch of cheap flowers he'd picked up from the local garage.

But that was just a fantasy. He wouldn't be returning home for another month, and even then his first stop would be at his ex-wife's house to visit their young son. Not that I minded, it made my heart flutter to see William interact with his son, knowing he loved him more than anything else in the world. I glanced at the photo frame on my desk, smiling at the picture of me and William taken before he deployed.

Running my fingers through my short black hair, I pushed the seat awkwardly across the carpet and rose, walking across the open planned living room to enter the kitchen. I grabbed a glass of water from the sink, staring out the window at the quiet neighborhood bathed in orange hues as the afternoon sun lowered from the heavens. I left the glass in the sink, walking back to my desk to slam the laptop lid close. I picked up the odd book lying around the room and returned them to the bookshelf before heading into the bedroom.

I carefully undid my robe, tossing it at the end of the bed and climbed beneath the bed sheets. My hand ran over the empty space beside me and I closed my eyes, one day nearer to William's return.

* * *

The office was pretty much empty at this time of night, and I'd been working late on a story my editor wanted the next morning. My fingers ached from typing, and a dull ache was beginning to surface in the front of my forehead from staring at the computer screen.

"Take a break Jayne," my blue eyes glanced away from the screen to my co-worker at the opposite desk. Mary Rhodes was an entertainment reporter, specializing in live music events – every time she'd had a spare ticket to an event, she'd bring me along, always keen to take my mind off how much I missed William. We'd become close friends, and I could always count on her for a laugh.

"I brought us some Chinese food." She smiled setting a couple of boxes upon the table, pulling her long brown hair into a ponytail before claiming the chair beside me. "How many days till Captain America comes home?"

"Three," I blushed helping myself to the fried rice.

"Are you gonna jump him as soon as you see him?" she smirked twirling a fork within her noodles.

"He'll see Connie first," Mary rolled her brown eyes. "And he should see his son,"

"Yeah, but not that snobby cow. I don't know why she's so stuck up anyway, he probably only married her 'cause he knocked her up,"

"He loved her once," I stated making Mary chuckle and throw a fortune cookie at me.

"You really are too nice sometimes, I bet she slags you off all the time." We swapped boxes as I nodded in agreement. "He loves you though,"

"You think so?"

"Know so," her red painted lips curved into a wide grin. "I've seen the way he looks at you. He doesn't have any single friends?"

"I'll be sure to ask him." I promised.

"Good, that uniform is sexy."

* * *

The radio blasted the latest pop song making my hips sway, and my feet tapped in time to the beat while I prepared a fresh pot of coffee. I glimpsed at the calendar on the fridge, all the days of the month crossed off in bright red and today's date was circled.

The excitement building inside me was like my birthday and Christmas all colliding at once. I'd even brought a new outfit, and made myself up to look extra special for when William turned up.

"You better not dance like that in front of other men,"

My body froze with a charming tone belonging to the man I loved and slowly spun round, coming face to face with the handsome blue eyed devil. He closed the front door behind him, dressed in his military uniform and buzz cut hair.

"Will," I whispered, my lashes fluttering and wiping away the happy tears forming at the corners of my eyes.

"Hey babe," he dropped his duffle bag and I ran over, jumping into his arms and buried my face in his neck.

I breathed in his scent, my hands clinging to his army shirt as his arms enfolded my waist, his lips caressing my temple then cheek. "I've missed you,"

"Me too." He murmured leaning back so he could raise a hand to my face, his thumb brushing through the stream of tears rolling down my face. "You're still the prettiest thing,"

I softly kissed his lips, pressing myself against his warm body finding the comfort I'd missed in the past few months. He tangled a hand in my short hair while I allowed my fingers to trace the smooth skin of his strong jaw. We parted and I sighed softly, while a deep hum vibrated in his throat.

"I missed that the most." He muttered and I chuckled, lightly brushing my nose against his. "If fact, I've only had one thing on my mind all day,"

"What's that?" I frowned and he flashed me a cockeyed half grin that was instantly disarming. He easily scooped me up his arms and carried me off the bedroom.


End file.
